Harborough Pick Up Second Win Of The Season After Thriller
Harborough Town looked to rebound from their recent poor run of form, being knocked out of both the League Cup and FA Vase in the preceding week, with a win against 6th placed Sleaford Town. With only 1 win in the league at the start of this match, Harborough were desperate for a win to keep them out of the danger zone, boost their confidence and prevent increasing pressure of attaining that win. Sleaford sat nicely at 6th in the table and probably eagerly looked to this visit as an easy 3 points.
It looked to be quick start for Sleaford too, when George Couzens seemed to be through on goal had it not been for an important Callum Traynor interception; the start of a fantastic game for this summer’s signing. Harborough reacted well though, and Tony Bartlett led the line by taking on his man and fizzing a low cross across the face of goal but there was no Harborough player there to get that much needed touch. However, Harborough’s bright attack meant nothing, as moments later Michael Hayden hit an absolute scorcher on the half volley from the edge of the box, smashing the bar and Glen Giles could do nothing but watch it bounce over the line for the first goal of the day. Harborough looked to the right wing again to get a good ball in, this time from Alex Morris after tricking his way past Luke Hollingworth, but Chris Adams was the first to the ball. Winning the ball in the middle of the park Pete Taylor begins some fantastic build-up play involving Bartlett and Jordan Lever; Lever had to ignore the crowd’s urge to shoot and instead found Aaron Preston just inside the Sleaford box, who stepped inside and dragged his low, powerful effort into the bottom left corner for the equaliser. The half continued to be open, with both sides having their fair share of possession and moments of quality football; great to watch for both sets of fans. Sleaford came close to a second half-an-hour in when a ball over the top ends in a cross to which Michael Hayden’s diving header was just wide of the post. Minutes later, Harborough got their well-deserved second. Alex Morris’ exceptional work rate finally paid off as he intercepted a loose ball and slid through Preston who manages to get a toe to it and see it roll past Adams into the bottom left corner once more. Sleaford continued to look for their second, and it almost came in the 41st minute through a corner, but Glen Giles expertly tipped it away to safety and kept Harborough in the lead at the break.
After the restart, Harborough found their backs against the wall as Sleaford bombarded the Harborough goal and kept their pressure high; Giles kept the team in it single-handedly at some points, and it seemed to be a when rather than if Sleaford would get an equaliser. The most threatening chance came in the 65th minute when Archie Moyses drilled a low ball across the fact of the Harborough goal to which George Couzens met it from about 6-yards out; it seemed to be the moment, but his first-time effort was fired against the crossbar and it bounced down off the line and out – the goal was still shaking as Sleaford looked to the ref who called it as no goal. Moments later, Harborough had a chance to bury the game when Jordan Lever met a pull back with ferocious force just inside the Sleaford box, but an amazing reflex save by Adams kept him out. This was one of the only moments Harborough had to end it in this half and following it Sleaford continued their assault for the equaliser. But, in the 91st minute, substitute Lewis Jackson sealed all 3 points for Harborough when a ball bounced up nicely for him and he thumped it on the half-volley into the far-right corner and wheeled away in celebration. It put the nerves to bed after a half where Sleaford dominated the attack, but Harborough valiantly defended to hold onto their lead and get the 3 points in the bag.
This was an important victory for Harborough who really needed some points on the board and getting the win against a team with 3 wins out of 5 is a fantastic achievement, and testament to The Bees’ ability and resilience. Boosting them up to 14th, Harborough no longer have the daunting thought of the relegation zone and can go into their game away to Wellingborough Whitworth next week with confidence.
